Praedicator

Verba

Sunday, November 30, 2014 - 1st Sunday of Advent - B

[Isa 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Mark 13:33-37]

"What I say to you, I say to all: "Watch!" [Mark]

An old secular piece of Christmas music begins, "You better watch out....." and warns against all kinds of conduct that will make Santa Claus unhappy when he comes to town. It will be a pity if that is all we can expect of the Advent season - to be nice and not naughty until Christmas eve. Advent alerts us to the "first coming" of Jesus Christ. The gospel account today is more focused on the second coming. As someone once said; "We live between a tic and a toc!

Today is the beginning of a new liturgical year, a kind of spiritual New Year's Day. Perhaps it can motivate us to be more intentional about Advent. Yes, we can gather around the Advent wreath or set up a Jesse Tree or Giving Tree, but these items should reflect what is going on inside us! Anticipation is not an exterior thing. If all the "holiday season" activity is frazzling, perhaps a moment or two in silence to remember what is truly to be anticipated, the birth of Jesus and his gift of himself until he returns again. Putting that kind of perspective on the days ahead of Christmas could make us look forward to Advent next year as the best way of staying calm and ready for whatever the secular celebration can offer. AMEN